From New Wave to the 'NOW', experience the thrill of NEW WAVE from it's beginnings in the late '70s to the modern bands so obviously influenced by it! So, if you grew up in the '80s and still enjoy discovering new sounds as well as rediscovering old favorites, then read on!
PUNK! POWER POP! SYNTH POP! NEW WAVE! POST-PUNK!
One of the catchiest tunes out there right now is "Meeting Mr. Miandad" by THE DUCKWORTH LEWIS METHOD! The track is available on their fab self-titled album available NOW (but only as an import).
This duo is actually a lighthearted side-project from THE DIVINE COMEDY's Neil Hannon and PUGWASH's Thomas Walsh.
Thankfully, the rest of the album is just as fun and melodic as the single and should be purchased immediately by anyone who digs great melodic Pop/Rock with a '60s influence. But don't take my word for it: check out "Meeting Mr. Miandad" for yourself!
Prefab Sprout's Let's Change The World With Music is now available! This abandoned album from the early '90s (recorded after Jordan: The Comeback) has been gathering dust for 17 years and has finally seen the light of day!
"Why on earth isn’t Paddy McAloon a legend? Honestly, he really should be a household name all around the world. From Prefab Sprout’s early ‘80s singles up through their oft-brilliant but much-maligned album The Gunman & Other Stories in 2001, Paddy has written some of the finest Pop tunes you’re likely to hear in your lifetime. If you are not familiar with the Sprouts’ output, comparisons are futile. How can you possibly describe a songwriter who is as unique as he is mysterious? Comparisons have been made with Cole Porter, Lennon & McCartney, Brian Wilson, Stephen Sondheim, Jimmy Webb, Elvis Costello and many others, but he remains a truly original and gifted singer and songwriter.
While Prefab Sprout could never be called prolific in terms of physical album releases, Paddy has continued to write and demo material throughout the band’s 20+ year career. In recent years, while less talented artists bask in the spotlight and sell boatloads of albums, our man Paddy has dealt with a series of health issues including vision and hearing problems. He’s had retinal detachments in both eyes and a severe bout with tinnitus, which has left him virtually unable to carry on as a recording artist. Thankfully, he continues to write songs that can be sung by other vocalists and perhaps, one day, he will be able to grace us with his own voice again.
Until then, we will fortunately be graced with previously unreleased Prefab Sprout music, such as Let’s Change The World With Music, the oft-rumored 1992 follow-up to the Sprouts’ Jordan: The Comeback album. While the album was never actually completed by the band, Paddy’s full-formed demo is not just a hint of what ‘might have been’: it’s one of the most consistent albums of the band’s career!
Let’s Change The World With Music is a loose concept album that that is based around the intense, often times religious, joy of music and the gift it brings to those who allow it to overcome and overwhelm them. While Paddy is not a Bible-bashing evangelist, he uses religious imagery to describe the magical power of music and how it can literally change the world. Those who choose to push music to the background in their lives may not understand where Paddy is coming from, but for those of us who have lived and breathed music since our early days, Let’s Change The World With Music is a revelation (pun intended).
From the intro of the lead-off track, “Let There Be Music”, it is immediately obvious that this will be a different Prefab experience to what most fans are used to. In the past (especially on Jordan: The Comeback), the band used keyboards to add depth and atmosphere to their tracks but Let’s Change The World... is a different ball of wax: it is ALL keyboards. As stated previously, this is Paddy’s demo version of his musical vision and does not feature backing vocalist Wendie Smith or brother Martin.. or anyone else for that matter. And to be honest, even without the other band members, it’s an absolute joy to listen to. Would it have sounded better with real strings, real drums, guitars and proper production from someone like Thomas Dolby? It’s really hard to tell, since the album is a near-perfect collection of songs that celebrate the glory of music, becoming a glorious piece of music in the process.
Some of the lyrics on the album may seem a bit twee and trite on the surface (particularly on “Music Is A Princess”), but in the context of the album, they become touching and heartwarming. Like all Prefab albums, there are moments of absolute joy on display mixed with an equal amount of bittersweet and touching songs that reach right down and stir your soul. Highlights include “Ride”, “Earth, The Story So Far”, “Last Of The Great Romantics”, “Angel Of Love” and the title track.
For the uninitiated, the Prefab Sprout albums to investigate first would certainly be Steve McQueen and Jordan: The Comeback, but Let’s Change The World With Music isn’t far behind. It is a beautiful, joyful and unpretentious musical love letter written to and about this life-changing force we call music. Let it make your heart sing!"
When an unknown band releases their first EP or mini-album, the general public seldom takes notice until a full album hits the shops. This, fortunately, was not the case for The Raveonettes. When Whip It On hit the shelves in 2002, critics and music fans immediately stood up and cheered. With great press and radio play, the Danish duo was a hit right out of the box. With a fuzzed-out Jesus & Mary Chain backdrop and gorgeous boy/girl harmonies, The Raveonettes were a sight for sore eyes and ears.
With each subsequent release, the duo could do no wrong. Here was a band that was well-versed in Pop music history, combining their influences into one big ball of fire: ‘50s cool, ‘60s charm, ‘80s smarts and ‘90s integrity. From the very beginning, Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo had it all except, thankfully, ‘70s excesses.
With their new album, In & Out Of Control, The Raveonettes take their signature sound to the next level. While holding onto what makes them so unique, the duo have come up with their most accessible album to date. Each song is so sweetly melodic that they melt in your mouth. Imagine taking Jesus & Mary Chains’ Darklands album and having The Shangri-Las come in and sing duets and backing vocals along with the Reid brothers. Then, add some delicious keyboards to the mix and you’ve got The Raveonettes latest opus!
I was able to reach out to guitarist Sune Rose Wagner as the band prepared for their tour and, while he was knee deep in the hoopla, he was still more than happy to discuss the new album and more…
SPAZ: What were your earliest musical influences while growing up?
SUNE ROSE WAGNER: I grew up with a variety of musical influences: RUN D.M.C, The Beastie Boys, everything Hip Hop really, Bob Dylan, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and girl groups from the early 60's.
SPAZ: Do you remember the exact moment when you realized that you wanted to be a musician?
SRW: My parents gave me a drum kit when I was 5 years old, but it wasn't until I saw Dire Straits on BBC that I realized the power and impact you could have in front of so many people! It blew me away.
SPAZ: What was the Copenhagen scene like when The Raveonettes first got together, and has it changed much over the years?
SRW: I had been traveling in the States for years when I decided to go back to Copenhagen to get the band together, so I wasn't really aware of what was happening. The purpose for The Raveonettes, in the beginning, was to get out of Denmark and play… so we only really did a handful of shows there before we played CBGB's for the first time. Don't know what the scene was like and I don't really follow it now, either.
SPAZ: Was it your original plan to form The Raveonettes as a duo?
SRW: Yes. We're a duo but when we play live, we're 2,3,4 or 5 people.
SPAZ: Your debut album, Chain Gang Of Love, was created under a strict set of rules (entirely in B-flat minor, surrounded by only three chords, and each song had to be less than three minutes long). For each subsequent album, did you follow a similar set of rules?
SRW: Only for Chain Gang Of Love. I love working under strict restrictions, it's very healthy and inspiring: more bands should try it. We always have a few "rules" when we record.
SPAZ: As a duo, how difficult is it to actually sift through your material and decide what goes on the album and what doesn't?
SRW: Extremely easy, and that was part of being a duo really: easy decisions and not too many arguments.
SPAZ: Do you have a stockpile of unreleased Raveonettes tracks that might be released one day?
SRW: Hundreds of songs, yes. We'll definitely release them some day.
SPAZ:In And Out Of Control, while retaining the unique Raveonettes sound, is your most consistent album to date (and that is saying a lot!). Did you approach the songwriting differently on this album or did it all come organically?
SRW: We didn't have one single song before we went into the studio, so everything was written right then and there. That was definitely new to us. We worked under strict deadline and there were moments where we didn't think we would finish an album, but we did and we're still very surprised.
SPAZ: How do you keep things fresh and interesting each time you go into the studio? The new album sounds as invigorating and exciting as most bands' debut albums!
SRW: Thanks! I think it was because everything was made right on the spot. I don't even know the songs that well yet cause they're so new to me. I guess the spontaneity adds to the freshness. We basically recorded an album while writing it.
SPAZ: While you consistently evolve with each release, do you ever feel like breaking the mold and just starting all over again with a completely new sound and style?
SRW: Yes. Longevity in bands is a strange thing ‘cause it's very hard for bands to renew themselves.
SPAZ:In And Out Of Control is filled with possible hit singles. Do you have any control over what actually gets picked as a single release?
SRW: Yes, we're in full control of everything we do.
SPAZ: You're just about ready to go out on tour. Is it exciting to take a new album out on the road?
SRW: Very exciting! This tour is gonna be so good cause we have so many great ideas about how to perform the songs and how they should be treated live. We're really gonna take our time getting all the way into the core of the songs.
SPAZ: What's next for The Raveonettes?
SRW: You said it, touring.
SPAZ: What do you currently have spinning in your CD and DVD players?
SRW: “Enola Gay” by OMD and “Gimme The Loot” by Notorious B.I.G.
First off, you don’t have to be a Punk fan to appreciate the passion, dedication, love and conviction that has kept BYO Records going for over 25 years. As one of the longest-running independent Punk labels, BYO (started by brothers Shawn, Mark and Adam Stern) has proven, over time, that Punk is thoughtful, quality music created by intelligent and talented musicians (and not by clueless lunkheads, as the press would lead you to beleive).
If you only know Punk from what you’ve heard on the radio, seen on MTV or read in the pages of your favorite ‘music’ magazine, then get real: everything you’ve learned is wrong and it’s time to set the record straight. Let Them Know: The Story Of Youth Brigade and BYO Records does just that.
While I’ve been a massive Punk fan since 1977 (by discovering The Jam and The Clash at the age of 14), I’ve always been on the outside looking in. I seldom dressed the part and hardly had any Punk friends to go to shows with, so I could only stand outside the gate and watch the Stern brothers create a world that I could only dream about. Plus, being extremely insecure, having glasses and being deathly afraid of getting caught (and beat up) in a mosh pit didn’t help, either!
Let Them Know: The Story Of Youth Brigade and BYO Records is perhaps the most important Punk artifact released this decade. While other labels would have chosen to release a label anthology, BYO have done nothing of the sort. Instead, they’ve put together this package that includes a 100+ page book, a documentary and a 31 track CD featuring plenty of exclusive tracks. There are two versions available: the 6 X 12 book/CD/DVD and the 12 X 12 book/double vinyl LP/CD/DVD. While the vinyl edition looks more impressive because of its size, both pressings tell the same story of the band and label through the Stern’s own words and the words of fellow Punk contemporaries and those who were influenced by them.
The book is stunning. Mostly written by the Stern brothers, it is far more in depth than the documentary and features tons of photos, flyer reproductions and (my favorite) a full color discography of the label. It is essential reading, but you may want to go through and look at all the cool pictures first because once you start reading, you’ll become so engrossed that only the written words will matter.
The DVD contains an exceptional documentary that begins with the formation of Youth Brigade (Shawn, Mark and Adam) and ends with Punk Rock Bowling over two decades later. In between, there are plenty of rare vintage video excerpts, modern day interviews with all the involved parties (including the always-interesting Ian MacKaye from Minor Threat/Fugazi) and so much more. Bonus features include interview segments cut from the final print (but these should be watched post-documentary in order to understand some of the subjects discussed).
The CD features 31 BYO classics… as interpreted by other BYO-related artists! So, instead of a normal label ‘best of’, you get to experience the history of the label in a whole new way. Includes cuts from NOFX, CH3, Matt Skiba (Alkaline Trio), 7 Seconds, Pennywise, Anti-Flag, Bouncing Souls, Off With Their Heads, The Cute Lepers, Filthy Thieving Bastards, Nothington and, of course, Youth Brigade.
All in all, this is one hell of a package that tells BYO’s story in honesty and humor. But it goes beyond just telling just their story: it also tells the story of one of the most vital music movements of the last 50 years.
An absolutely essential purchase that you MUST physically own because you can't download passion and convition... and Let Them Know has plenty of both!
Yes, chuckle silently to yourself, but you know it’s true. Before Punk, the music business had drifted further away from the importance of the music and had become a safe haven for pretentious musicians and arrogant record executives. Once Punk kicked down the doors, everything was different. No longer was it acceptable to play a 25 minute guitar solo when a younger band with fresh ideas could knock out an entire 12 track album that lasted that same amount of time. It was no longer necessary to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars recording an album when many bands were doing it for a tiny fraction of that cost. And you didn’t necessarily need to be an accomplished musician to get your message across: all you needed was passion and conviction.
One of the most obvious, and most important, changes that Punk brought to the table was the resurgence of the ‘indie’ label. Before Punk, independent labels were laughed at. Artists who released albums on indie labels were deemed ‘not good enough’ for a major label deal. In Punk’s wake, indie labels began popping up in every city, in every state, in every country, anxious to release albums from the up and coming Punk bands that were beginning to draw crowds. In just a little over a year, opinions about indie labels had changed so much that when The Clash signed with CBS instead of an indie label, their legions of fans considered it a total sell-out!
In California, labels like Alternative Tentacles, SST, Bomp, Slash, Dangerhouse and Posh Boy were all the rage with the Punk, Post-Punk and New Wave kids. But alongside these labels, BYO Records remains one of the most important and long-lasting. Set up by the band Youth Brigade to release their own music as well as music from the very healthy Punk scene, BYO has remained true to their original ideals and is still a vital, forward-thinking label.
For the first time, the label has finally decided to take a look back at their amazing 25+ year existence in style with the release of Let Them Know: The Story Of Youth Brigade And BYO Records. This beautiful package features a gorgeous book, a must-see documentary DVD (with bonus features) and a jaw-dropping 31 track CD that contains BYO bands covering cuts from other BYO bands! There’s also a double vinyl edition that comes in LP sized packaging and includes the book, CD and DVD! Can you say “Hell, yeah!”?
I was able to pull myself away from the box and spend a little time with Youth Brigade frontman and BYO boss Shawn Stern to discuss Punk, BYO and this essential release.
SPAZ: What kind of music were the Stern brothers listening to growing up?
SHAWN STERN: When we were young, we listened to AM radio in the late ‘60s, Motown a lot. In 1970, we were listening to the Folk/Rock our parents were playing: CSNY, Janis Joplin, Melanie, Bill Withers, Cat Stevens, Jim Croce. We then started finding our own stuff, mostly Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Johnny Winter, Rory Gallagher, Robin Trower, the hippy and Rock stuff.
SPAZ: Do you remember when Punk first made an impression on you?
SS: Summer of ’77: reading an article in the L.A. times Sunday Calendar about the Sex Pistols’ American tour and San Francisco show by Robert Hilburn and then hearing KMET play Elvis Costello’sMy Aim Is True record in full. I realized that this was something I needed to see, so a few months later, in early ’78, we went to check out The Dickies at the Whiskey. That show pretty much convinced me and my brother Mark that we needed to stop doing Rock covers and start writing our own music.
SPAZ: When you first formed Youth Brigade, did you feel that you had more in common, musically, with the West Coast, the East Coast or the British punks?
SS: Well, I think things were so new we didn’t really look at it as who we were more influenced by or would emulate or have in common. I mean we loved English Oi bands (like) Sham 69, Angelic Upstarts, Cockney Rejects and 4 Skins. We also loved the Clash and The Stranglers, The Buzzcocks, The Jam and The Lurkers. But we were heavily influenced by the Punk bands we had been friends with and going to see play the two years we had been doing our first band the Extremes. We used to go play with and go see X, The Bags, Deadbeats, Weirdos, Dickies and a lot of the early Punk bands. And then, as the scene grew, Circle Jerks, TSOL, Social Distortion and The Adolescents. And when we heard Minor Threat that was a revelation as well. We, of course, listened to The Ramones, Blondie, Television, Dead Boys and Devo and saw them all when they came around, too. So it was really a whole “host” as the president says!
SPAZ: In the early days of punk, the genre was always associated with violence, be it an aggressive mosh pit or a fight in the parking lot. Did you feel that the scene would often attract the wrong types of people (i.e. those that were more into the violence or fashion aspect and not the music or message)?
SS: Well, there’s not much you can do about what people do. You hope that, regardless of what attracts them to Punk rock, eventually they’ll hear the music, the ideas and it will get them to think. Of course, there are those that just wanna stomp heads and so we were all a little crazy in our young days, but we had a lot of things to be pissed about and fight against. Ronald Reagan became president of America when Punk was exploding in California and a lot of the problems we have now are rooted in his conservative, narrow minded policies.
SPAZ: When you started BYO Records, had the band already tried signing with other labels or was it always part of the plan to release your own music on your own terms?
SS: It was never a “plan”: we didn’t really plan much of anything, I like to say our lives are kind of like a ping pong ball, we just get bounced into things. We just did things out of necessity: wanted to do a show, put it on ourselves; need to release a record, do it ourselves.
SPAZ: Was there a particular label you modeled BYO after?
SS: Ha-ha, nope, we never paid attention to other labels before we started. We just thought it was important to put out a positive message because the mainstream media portrayed Punk Rock as violent and mindless and we knew that wasn’t true. We looked to work with bands that were like minded people.
SPAZ: How difficult was it to balance your own musical vision (Youth Brigade) and run a label?
SS: Pretty much impossible because, in the ‘80s, we didn’t really make much money to support us bringing in people to run the label when the band went on the road. So, when the band was out, the label would suffer and vice versa. It’s gotten better in the ‘90’s, but we still have that same problem.
SPAZ: Youth Brigade has had long periods of inactivity, but did the band ever actually call it quits?
SS: Yeah, when we came back from our first European tour in ’84, our brother Adam decided he was going to go to art school. He left the band, we had a couple of guys replace him, Bob Gnarly from Plain Wrap was the main guy and we became the Brigade for a little over a year. The Punk scene was dying (late ’87) and the Metal scene was taking over the Sunset Strip so we broke up and stopped actively signing bands to the label. BYO was still in existence, but we let Southern Studios in UK press and distribute for us.
SPAZ: During Youth Brigade’s first couple of years, were there any contemporary bands that inspired you? Are there any bands out there right now that inspire you?
SS: As I said before, Angelic Upstarts had a big influence as did Sham 69 and playing with The Adolescents, TSOL, Social Distortion, they all had an influence I think. Nowadays I really like the bands we’ve worked with on the label, Nothington, Filthy Thieving Bastards, Swingin Utters, Throw Rag, The Briefs, NOFX, Old Man Markely, Off With Their Heads, Dillinger 4.
SPAZ: In the late ‘80s and part of the ‘90s, Punk went back underground. Was this a tough period for BYO and Youth Brigade?
SS: Oh, I think during the late ‘80s, yes, but we got back together in ’92 and things exploded. The success in the late ’80’s of Nirvana, The Pixies and Jane’s Addiction helped Punk Rock get attention and Bad Religion and Fugazi definitely carried the torch in those years. Then in ’94, Green Day and The Offspring got pretty huge. That led to the success of NOFX, Rancid, Pennywise and so many more bands and we all did well because of that. So, in many ways, it was our most successful period.
SPAZ: In recent years, I’ve noticed that British Punk has really taken a back seat to the U.S. scene. Do you think that American Punk bands are better these days?
SS: I don’t think there has been as vibrant a Punk scene in the UK since the late ‘70’s/early ‘80s as what we’ve had here in Southern California over the past 30 years. There are always some great bands coming out of the UK, but clearly L.A. has had the biggest Punk scene in the world since the early ‘80s and so many great bands have come out of here.
SPAZ: Do you think that the real and honest modern Punk Rock bands (such as those on BYO) have been overlooked in favor of the cookie cutter Pop/Punk bands that arrived in Blink 182’s wake?
SS: Well, I don’t really believe that Blink 182 and their spawn that followed are Punk Rock in anything other than style. They can cop NOFX’s sound and make silly adolescent songs all they want, but I really don’t consider that Punk Rock. Most of those bands have sold lots of records, but how many of them are still around 10-15 years later, let alone 25-30 years!? Most of them appeal to little kids who are usually done with them after a year or two. In fact, if you ask some kid who was listening to these bands when they were 12-14 about the music, they’re usually embarrassed to admit they even listened to them.
SPAZ: What do you think of the current Punk crowds?
SS: Well, for us, I think it’s great that we’ve been seeing new generations of kids coming to our shows and listening to our music, the old and the new, for the last 15 years. I think that Punk Rock has something to say and the fact that we’ve been doing this for over 25 years, I believe, is a testament to how much it means to people. People that grew up with us in the ‘80s are bringing their kids, so I think we must be doing something right.
SPAZ: Apart from revitalizing the indie label scene, do you think Punk has changed the music industry over the last 30 years?
SS: Well sure, it’s shown kids that they don’t need a big corporate owned record company to put out music; they don’t need to be force fed the drivel that so many of these companies put out to the masses of sheep that eat it up. For me, Punk Rock is about thinking for yourself and questioning everything and I think that belief has now taken over a lot of the music industry as well as other places. And that’s a good thing!
SPAZ: When did the idea for Let Them Know come about?
SS: We wanted to do something for our 25 year anniversary and, at the same time, we realized that kids are getting their music from downloads more and more and a lot of them are not paying for the music. So, we thought “What can we do to celebrate our anniversary and make it something that really is momentous as well as something that you can’t just download?” So, we came up with the double colored vinyl, documentary DVD and a 100 page hardcover book.
SPAZ: Did the Let Them Know project grow much bigger than your initial idea?
SS: Oh yeah,, but it’s definitely turned out better than we could have imagined. It’s by far the biggest project we’ve ever done and probably the best.
SPAZ: Are you surprised that there is still so much interest in what you do?
SS: I’m pretty surprised that we’re still playing music cause I didn’t think when I was in my 20’s that I’d still be playing in my 30’s let alone my 40’s and approaching mid-life. We’re really lucky that people like what we do and continue to support us.
SPAZ: Are you proud of what you’ve accomplished over the years since Youth Brigade formed nearly three decades ago?
SS: Yeah, we’re pretty humbled by how people seem to like what we do over all these years. Like I said, we never had any “plan” we just made music and had something to say. I guess we’re doing something right.
SPAZ: What’s next for BYO and Youth Brigade?
SS: We hit the road for dates on the east coast with Off With Their Heads, a few of the shows with the Casualties, then we go across Canada w/OWTH and The Bouncing Souls. We will play the Riot Fest in Chicago next month as well as the Fest in Gainesville and Fun, Fun, Fun in Austin in November. We’ll be hitting other cities in between. Hope to be writing new songs as well and make a new record next year.
SPAZ: What do you currently have spinning on your personal CD and DVD players?
SS: All kinds of stuff from Off With Their Heads, Nothington and all the songs off our new comp to Radiohead, Fugazi, Robin Trower, Jimi Hendrix, Tricky and lots of different stuff.
I’ll keep this short and sweet so you have time to rush out and buy The Beatles remasters ASAP:
Listening to the 2009 remasters of The Beatles catalog is similar to getting your very first pair of glasses: you don’t know that things are out of focus until you actually experience 20/20 vision. I’ve listened to the Beatles catalog in practically every format, from LP, 8-track, cassette and 7” vinyl to the CDs that first hit the market in 1987. I’ve also viewed their movies on the big screen and at home (on VHS and DVD) plus I’ve heard my fair share of bootlegs as well. But I have to admit that nothing compares to listening to these new stereo remasters!
Now, bear in mind that nothing here was remixed. All the songs are the same mixes you’ve been enjoying for decades, but they’ve been dusted off and given a new car shine.
On almost everything here, the vocals really leap out at you. For example, George’s vocal presence is much more obvious in the harmonies on the pre-Sgt. Pepper albums. Where once I heard John singing lead aided by dual background harmonies (with Paul the most dominant voice), now I hear John singing lead with Paul and George supplying harmonies! Each voice is distinct and crystal clear. Even Sgt. Pepper onwards, you can hear so much more. The voices still blend together, but it is all much clearer. It’s like all the haziness that you didn’t know was there is now gone!
Instrumentally, it all sounds amazing. The handclaps are crisp. The guitars ring. The piano sings. The drums kick. The stereo separation is superb and the left and right channels don’t bleed together as much as they used to. The tape distortion that was slightly evident on certain tracks is gone. You can even catch a few mistakes that have always been there but are definitely more obvious than ever before!
